by Don Sikora

.In the late Eighties, Japanese automakers introduced four-wheel steering to the U.S. market. The first car Americans could buy with such a system was the 1988 Honda Prelude Si 4WS. Mindful of the old adage that nobody remembers who was second, let us suggest the 1988 Mazda 626 Turbo 4WS as cheap wheels.

Though the overall numbers are still relatively small, consumers around the globe are buying more electric vehicles than ever before. That said, those motorists embracing electrification—at least in the U.S.–seem to still be of an early adopter mentality. Most mainstream shoppers remain skeptical that the switch to pure-electric driving will be worth the perceived hassles. Read more...

The high-performance Taurus SHO was one of the first Ford vehicles to employ an EcoBoost engine.

There is a lot to be said for good automotive branding, especially good engine branding. One of the better recent efforts in this regard is Chrysler’s resurrection of the Hemi name, as applied to a new family of V8 engines that debuted for 2003. Read more...

I have a number of automotive fantasies, many of which fall into the “never gonna happen” category. Among these daydreams are commuting to work in a Mercedes-Benz Unimog, and driving with Grace Kelly to get a malt at Chicago’s Superdawg Drive-In in a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing. Read more...

The string of numbers found on the side of tires may seem confusing, but it’s easy enough to decode once you know what the numbers stand for. (Photo courtesy of Continental Tires.)

The easiest way to replace the tires on your vehicle is to work with a professional retailer who will help you identify the tires that best match the specifications of the car, as well as your wants and needs for ride quality, handling, and the types of roads and conditions in which you normally drive.

Ford isn’t quite ready to take the wraps off its forthcoming Bronco just yet, but the company issued this teaser photo that reveals a rugged-looking boxy profile, a high-riding stance, and what looks like a rear-mounted spare tire.

Ford Motor Company today unveiled its plans to replace more than 75 percent of its model lineup by 2020, and is aiming to have the “freshest” product roster in the North American market by that time. The manufacturer will focus heavily on trucks, SUVs, and hybrid vehicles in the next 24 months. More pure-electric vehicles are slated to follow starting in 2020, with six battery electric vehicles (BEVs) planned for introduction by 2022.

I’ve never heard it suggested that the Cadillac HT4100 V8 engine was flawed because it was rushed into production, but there is evidence to indicate that that was indeed the case.

If you don’t remember the HT4100, you’re not alone. As a result of the powerplant’s flaws (more on those in a moment) Cadillac marketing folks dropped the HT moniker after a few years, leaving subsequent updated versions of the engine unbranded. Read more...

Car and truck engines are designed in a relatively small number of cylinder configurations. Inline 4-cylinder and V6 engines are easily the most common, with V8 mills coming in third in popularity. Read more...